Practice Policies

Confidentiality

We ask you for personal information so that you can receive appropriate care and treatment. This information is recorded on computer and we are registered under the Data Protection Act. The practice will ensure that patient confidentiality is maintained at all times by all members of the practice team. However, for the effective functioning of a multi-disciplinary team it is sometimes necessary that medical information about you is shared between members of the team.

We aim to provide a high quality service and are interested to hear how our systems could be improved. A suggestions box is available in the waiting room for you to leave your comments. If you are unhappy with any aspect of the service that you have received please write to the practice manager.

Complaints Procedure

We always try to provide the best service possible, but there may be times when you feel this has not happened. The following information explains our in-house complaints procedure, drawn up to respond to patient grievances. Our practice procedure is not able to deal with questions of legal liability or compensation. We hope you will use it to allow us to look into and, if necessary, correct any problems that you have identified, or mistakes that have been made. If you use this procedure it will not affect your right to complain to the Health Service Authority. Please note that we have to respect our duty of confidentiality to patients and a patient’s consent will be necessary if a complaint is not made by the patient in person. If you wish to make complaint please write to our practice manager giving full details of the complaint. Your letter will be acknowledged within three working days, giving an estimated time for the investigation to be completed. You will receive details of the findings of our investigation and any changes that the practice will be making in response to this.

Zero Tolerance

The practice supports the NHS policy of zero tolerance with regard to violence or abuse to the doctors, staff or others on the practice premises or other locations where treatment may take place. Persons abusing this policy may be reported to the police and removed from the practice list.

Freedom Of Information

The Freedom of Information Act 2000 obliges the practice to produce a Publication Scheme. A Publication Scheme is a guide to the ‘classes’ of information the practice intends to routinely make available. This scheme is available from reception.

General Practitioner Registrars and Students

Our practice is a training/teaching practice. Our registrars are fully qualified and have a great deal of hospital experience. Registrars are attached to our practice for six months and usually become general practitioner partners after completing their training. They are at all times encouraged to seek advice when required from the practice partners.

We are also fortunate to have medical students attached to our practice for short periods. If you do not wish to have the student present during your consultation please inform the reception staff prior to seeing the doctor.

When booking an appointment you may be asked if you would consult with one of our registrars who are excellent doctors, appointed by the practice.

The registrars are required to video some of their surgeries so that their consultation techniques can be assessed. Patients will always be informed in advance of video surgeries and asked if they are happy for their consultation to be recorded. Videos are treated in strictest confidence and erased when they have been reviewed by the trainer.